SpaceX plans to send five uncrewed Starships to Mars in two years

SpaceX is set to launch around five uncrewed Starship missions to Mars over the next two years, according to CEO Elon Musk. Musk announced on social media platform X on Sunday that these missions will align with the next Earth-Mars transfer window, scheduled to open in two years.

The success of these uncrewed missions will influence the timeline for crewed flights to Mars.

If the uncrewed missions land successfully, crewed missions could start in four years. 

However, any significant issues could delay the crewed timeline by another two years.

Earlier, Musk mentioned that the first uncrewed mission to Mars could occur within five years, with humans landing on the planet in seven years.

In June, a Starship rocket succeeded in surviving reentry and completed a test mission, landing in the Indian Ocean on its fourth attempt.

Musk envisions the Starship as a next-generation spacecraft for transporting people and cargo to the moon and Mars.

NASA has delayed its Artemis 3 mission to September 2026 due to development uncertainties. The mission, initially planned for late 2025, will use SpaceX’s Starship.

Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa also canceled a private mission around the moon aboard Starship, citing delays in the rocket’s development.